


The Sweet By and By

by QSweetpea



Series: Golden Prairie, Happy Years [2]
Category: Little House on the Prairie - Laura Ingalls Wilder
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-29 17:13:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17207552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QSweetpea/pseuds/QSweetpea
Summary: Miscellaneous excerpts found in the lean-to, or the old buffalo wallow filled with violets...





	The Sweet By and By

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A snippet during the coldest ride from the Bouchies' claim, while Laura taught her first term of school.

Laura remembered Almanzo and Cap riding to a mysterious homesteader's house and buying wheat during the Hard Winter. She remembered too well the gnawing cold as it fought its way through every chink in the walls, and the gnawing hunger within, and overall, the breathless fear, if she dwelt on it all too much. She remembered watching Carrie, her delicate feather of a little sister, as she failed a bit more every day, and how Pa's hands shook as he passed the rapidly cooling potatoes around at supper. That night, the old fears were exceeded for perhaps the first time by fear for someone other than herself and her family, when the next blizzard's onslaught shook the house. Those two young men, in that terrible storm. Laura was ashamed - the Bible says to have no fear, to only believe. She had a difficult time getting to sleep that night, as bone-weary as she was, and her trembling was not only from the cold.

The memories distracted her from the biting wind and the solid reality of the young man sitting so close next to her, as he alternated the hand that held the reins and glanced her way from time to time. He and Cap had saved her family. She closed her eyes for a moment and prayed for the children, that they made it home safely while she raced the storm with Mr. Wilder in his cutter. It was so, so cold, but it was gradually bothering her less. The robes were cozy, and she could imagine the lantern's light providing warmth. Laura allowed herself to stare at Mr. Wilder for a time through her dark veil, wondering why he would consider delivering a mere girl to her family a worthy errand. 

Laura rode a wave of warm sleepiness, but was pulled back by a man's voice, sharper than the wind.

"Cold?" Mr. Wilder's eyes met hers briefly as he swapped hands again.

"Oh, no."

He had a pleasant face, and looked anxious. She continued to stare.


End file.
